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Across May - August 2025, our Ensemble Young Company set out to create two short films tackling some of the barriers young people face today. Filmed entirely on an iPhone (a creative challenge in itself), the films are intended to start conversations with young people about Anxiety and relationships with adults.
Communicating feelings and needs can be challenging for many people. For teenagers, things can feel even trickier. As their brains develop and their lives change, they start to become more independent from their parents and lean more on their friends. This shift in relationships and growing desire for freedom make navigating this stage of life both exciting and sometimes confusing. It is against this backdrop, these films come to life—inviting all to step into the world of our Ensemble Young Company and to join the conversation. We encourage you to watch the films and to discuss them with the young people in your lives; they will spark fresh insights into what young people face today and how adults can offer better support! |
“Our Ensemble Young Company showed impressive creativity and bravery across the making of these films, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished together. We hope these films connect with viewers and inspire stronger relationships and self-understanding.” – Scott Wilson, Lead Artistic Practitioner at Mortal Fools |
The films were co-created by Northumberland teenagers with professional artists and theatre makers. The films feature the lived experiences, insights, and creative exploration of those young people at that time - woven together with characters, storylines, and original music.
WATCH THE FILMS
Ensemble Young Company Presents: This is what it feels like
When anxiety strikes, an internal battle begins….
That restless feeling you just can’t shake. The weight in your stomach. The sense that something’s about to go wrong, lurking just out of sight.
Anxiety hits all of us sometimes—but for so many young people, it’s like an annoying shadow that just won’t leave them alone.
Right now, across the UK, one in five young people are living with a mental health condition and every day, hundreds are referred to services, searching for understanding and support. In every classroom and every friendship group someone is quietly battling anxiety.
Yet anxiety is an invisible battle—a war raging inside, often unseen by those around us. It’s easy to feel alone when your worries are hidden behind a brave face.
But you’re not alone. We see you. And through this film, we invite you to see what anxiety truly feels like—so that together we can start new conversations about how to make things better.
Trigger warning: This film depicts an anxiety spiral and panic. We suggest viewing it when you feel comfortable and not experiencing high levels of anxiety.
When anxiety strikes, an internal battle begins….
That restless feeling you just can’t shake. The weight in your stomach. The sense that something’s about to go wrong, lurking just out of sight.
Anxiety hits all of us sometimes—but for so many young people, it’s like an annoying shadow that just won’t leave them alone.
Right now, across the UK, one in five young people are living with a mental health condition and every day, hundreds are referred to services, searching for understanding and support. In every classroom and every friendship group someone is quietly battling anxiety.
Yet anxiety is an invisible battle—a war raging inside, often unseen by those around us. It’s easy to feel alone when your worries are hidden behind a brave face.
But you’re not alone. We see you. And through this film, we invite you to see what anxiety truly feels like—so that together we can start new conversations about how to make things better.
Trigger warning: This film depicts an anxiety spiral and panic. We suggest viewing it when you feel comfortable and not experiencing high levels of anxiety.
Important information
Captioning: This film is captioned.
Length: Approximately 3mins 30seconds
Themes explored:
Captioning: This film is captioned.
Length: Approximately 3mins 30seconds
Themes explored:
- Anxiety
- Mental health
- Friendships
- School pressure
- What contributes to Anxiety
- What Anxiety can feel like
- How to begin helping someone experiencing Anxiety
Ensemble Young Company Presents: (dis)connected
Two worlds disconnected…can we bridge the gap?
Ever feel like talking to adults is like crossing into another universe? Sometimes it's nobosdy's fault. Other times…… well, it's complicated. We're worlds apart, and no one's got the translation guide.
They ask questions we’d rather not answer.
They step into our space just when we want room to breathe.
They want to talk, when we want to tune out.
And sometimes, it feels like they just don’t trust us…..
But here’s the real question: can it get any better?
Two worlds disconnected…can we bridge the gap?
Ever feel like talking to adults is like crossing into another universe? Sometimes it's nobosdy's fault. Other times…… well, it's complicated. We're worlds apart, and no one's got the translation guide.
They ask questions we’d rather not answer.
They step into our space just when we want room to breathe.
They want to talk, when we want to tune out.
And sometimes, it feels like they just don’t trust us…..
But here’s the real question: can it get any better?
Important information
Captioning: This film is captioned.
Length: Approximately 6mins 30seconds
Themes explored:
Captioning: This film is captioned.
Length: Approximately 6mins 30seconds
Themes explored:
- Family connections
- Relationships with family
- Invasion of young people’s space
- Bids for connection
- Communication between adults and young people
RESOURCE PACK
The two films above are powerful tools to help open up meaningful conversations with young people. Our downloadable Resource Pack is designed to accompany the films and is for youth workers, educators, community group leaders, parents & carers, and young people’s practitioners/youth theatre leaders.
By watching the films and using the Resource Pack—thoughtfully crafted by creative practitioners-you’ll find practical activities and prompts designed to get everyone thinking, talking, and exploring the film’s themes. It’s filled with engaging exercises that make exploring topics like anxiety and family relationships accessible and enjoyable, encouraging expression in a safe, supportive space.
Simply follow the guidance in the pack, adapt activities to suit your group or individual needs, and let the films and activities spark curiosity and conversation.
Simply follow the guidance in the pack, adapt activities to suit your group or individual needs, and let the films and activities spark curiosity and conversation.
THE MAKING OF...
Our Ensemble Young Company Presents film project took place across May – August 2025. The films were co-created by 10 young people and 7 professional creatives.
Earlier this year Ensemble Young Company created their version of Brainstorm, a theatre show exploring teenage brains which we toured to venues across the North East. After the tour we found ourselves inspired to delve even deeper into the connections between young people and the adults around them, looking at what makes these relationships uplifting and, at times, what makes them challenging for everyone involved.
We were also keen to shine a light on those moments when your mind goes into overdrive, wrestling with anxiety and fear—experiences that are becoming all too common for today’s teenagers. These explorations shaped the heart of our filmmaking process….
Earlier this year Ensemble Young Company created their version of Brainstorm, a theatre show exploring teenage brains which we toured to venues across the North East. After the tour we found ourselves inspired to delve even deeper into the connections between young people and the adults around them, looking at what makes these relationships uplifting and, at times, what makes them challenging for everyone involved.
We were also keen to shine a light on those moments when your mind goes into overdrive, wrestling with anxiety and fear—experiences that are becoming all too common for today’s teenagers. These explorations shaped the heart of our filmmaking process….
“Making these films was such a good experience. It was brilliant to create films entirely in house as Ensemble Young Company. When you work with professional film makers, you don’t always feel like you can say, “I think it should be done this way.” But in this project, I felt very comfortable going, “what if you did it like this instead?” and Mortal Fools staff were always like: “let’s try it!” Both films are very different styles, and filmed quite differently, so it was really interesting to see how they both came together into films.”
– Eloise, Ensemble Young Company member.
Both films were filmed entirely on an iPhone by staff and young people, unlocking a unique set of creative challenges and opportunities. Working with an iPhone required us to think carefully about lighting, sound, and framing, as the camera is less forgiving; this pushed us to be more intentional and creative with each shot.
Filming on an iPhone, a device many are comfortable and familiar with, helped foster a collaborative atmosphere, encouraging everyone to contribute their ideas, direction and to work together to overcome technical hurdles.
Both filming and editing processes were able to be responsive and spontaneous; together we could get playful, experiment and try out ideas.
Filming on an iPhone, a device many are comfortable and familiar with, helped foster a collaborative atmosphere, encouraging everyone to contribute their ideas, direction and to work together to overcome technical hurdles.
Both filming and editing processes were able to be responsive and spontaneous; together we could get playful, experiment and try out ideas.
“They’re important so that people can understand different relationships and dynamics in our relationships with Adults. And we really hope that our “This is What it feels like” film will remind people that they are not alone in their struggles. We want people to understand what’s going on and encourage you to ask for help if there’s anything that you don’t understand. I hope that after watching these films, people will ask for help and find answers to their questions. Even if it takes a while to find the answers, we hope these films help you to start looking for it if you need it.”
– Tilly, Ensemble Young Company member.
We filmed Ensemble Young Company Presents: This is what it feels like, across a month’s worth of weeknight sessions in two locations; Riding Mill Parish Hall and Ashington Family Hub. Across the month, we captured short snippets of content, that was eventually edited together.
We filmed Ensemble Young Company Presents: (dis)connected across two full days in a “black box style theatre for film” that we constructed inside Newbiggin Sports and Community Hub.
Across the late Summer, we edited the films with original music added by Calum Howard and animation by Sheryl Jenkins, both Mortal Fools Associate Artists.
And now, the films are available to watch via our YouTube channel!
We filmed Ensemble Young Company Presents: (dis)connected across two full days in a “black box style theatre for film” that we constructed inside Newbiggin Sports and Community Hub.
Across the late Summer, we edited the films with original music added by Calum Howard and animation by Sheryl Jenkins, both Mortal Fools Associate Artists.
And now, the films are available to watch via our YouTube channel!
ABOUT ENSEMBLE YOUNG COMPANY
This is what it feels like & (dis)connected were co-created by Ensemble Young Company 2024/25 and professional creatives.
Ensemble Young Company is Mortal Fools' dedicated youth theatre group for people aged 14-19 (School Years 10+). Ensemble members work together over a prolonged time period to devise a new piece of theatre or film (in this case, Ensemble Young Company Presents film series), which we then share to our Mortal Fools network and Co-Creation Exchange Network partner venues.
Our Ensemble Young Company features young people from Northumberland who meet weekly usually from September – May/June each year. We welcome new and returning members to join us, usually starting in the Autumn with new member taster sessions across the Summer. You can register your interest in joining Ensemble Young Company at any time across the year.
Head to our Ensemble Young Company page to find out more about the group and what they are currently working on.
Ensemble Young Company is Mortal Fools' dedicated youth theatre group for people aged 14-19 (School Years 10+). Ensemble members work together over a prolonged time period to devise a new piece of theatre or film (in this case, Ensemble Young Company Presents film series), which we then share to our Mortal Fools network and Co-Creation Exchange Network partner venues.
Our Ensemble Young Company features young people from Northumberland who meet weekly usually from September – May/June each year. We welcome new and returning members to join us, usually starting in the Autumn with new member taster sessions across the Summer. You can register your interest in joining Ensemble Young Company at any time across the year.
Head to our Ensemble Young Company page to find out more about the group and what they are currently working on.
